Where Does a Cockroach Move?

Cockroaches have a basic drive for movement that guides them wherever they go. They like to touch surfaces on all sides, a behavior known as thigmotaxis. These creatures are nocturnal and move during the night. When the temperature gets too cold, they move to a warmer spot.

The median speed of a cockroach is approximately 25 centimeters per second. Its center of mass is close to a wall. It is about half its body length plus its antennal length, so its median speed is approximately 25 cm per second. This suggests that cockroaches slow down their walking speed when they approach a wall.

Cockroaches are most active at night, which helps them avoid predators. They feed on various items, including decaying leaf litter, garbage, and woodpiles. These cockroaches can move from warm to cold locations. A common cockroach location is a sewer or utility tunnel.

During mating season, a cockroach must mate at least once to produce up to 3 batches of fertilized eggs. They then store sperm in an internal storage location and use it as needed. Female cockroaches have paired ovaries that contain mature oocytes called ovarioles. Females may develop tumors in these ovarioles.